Here's Another What Do You Think!

We are choosing to do private elementary school for our kids (please no judgement). It comes with a hefty price tag of about $20,000 per child per year. We left a private school last year because our kid's classes got too small and my DH (dear husband) wanted to move them. I am not super happy at the new school. The classes are much larger and the school seems more impersonal.
So it's time to sign the contracts and pay the deposits already for the next school year. We applied for financial aid at both schools to see if we could get any assistance. The old school that I really miss offered our younger daughter $7,000. The current new school called me today and offered us nothing. I am shocked since the new school is better financially and their endowment fund is huge.
My DH (dear husband) still wants the new school despite the $7,000 break. The old school would have 7 kids in her class and the new would have 30 kids.

What would you do? Move her back despite my DH? Or make DH (dear husband) happy? He loses his temper and blows up so easily. Ugh. I so miss the old school. They're making a huge sacrifice I think to help get us back.

Comments (7)

That's a really tough decision of you both want different things.
Personally I would send them where they are happiest because if they are happy then they will want to learn more!
Its so important to be happy at school otherwise it would just be a big waste of money!

I went to a small country school, although it wasnt private education - it also had small numbers. 50 kids altogether. I had like 11 people in my class. A lot of kids came away from that school feeling very empowered and secure in who they are. I believe because the teacher had the advantage of being able to give one on one time. No one was left behind. Evem though who were viewed as "dumb" got the attention they needed to get past their barriers. I learnt a lot about community and all the parents and children were very close. Mostly because everyone had to come together because it was small. Small classes definitely have their benefits, especially if your child is having difficulty in a subject or is shy etc

I’d send them back to the old school. I think small classes are so much better. A lot more one on one time. Kids can get lost in a big class, my ydds class KILLS me. There are so many high needs and behavioural students that the teacher spends more time trying to keep her class under control then anything else.

What didn’t you DH (dear husband) like about the old school? Honestly if I knew my kids were able to get individual attention I’d be all over that.

Half the time my daughters teacher is talking to me I am not even sure if she’s talking about the right kid... I am not sure she’s even sure. If she doesn’t specifically write it down she often says.. “was it Aubree?? Maybe it was so and so... oh i dont remember”.... like smh

As a mom and an educator, I'd say go with the smaller classes. Always. (ETA: but thats my reaction having spent 10 years working in public schools with the unfortunate, but typical "squeaky wheel gets the grease" dynamic in MANY classrooms).

But... As someone who recently got a new student who came a small private school where there were 5 or 6 in his 8th grade class, I have to say make sure that environment doesn't make your kids miserable or uncomfortable before jumping back in. This kid told me how much he disliked going to school everyday. School in general, because of his class size. In that case, it's not worth souring a kid on school.

I agree with PP (previous poster) that said the child's happiness wins.

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